Little Falls transcript., 1887-03-04
FEBRUARY.
What has Happened During this Shortest Month
Of tho Year.

What has Happened During this Shortest Month
Of tho Year.
| From the Boston Traveller.
| Only twenry-eieht days!
And this is quite enough for poor
little February is very much disliked
by most everybody. 1t has the mis-
fortune to happen along when people
are tired of the cold, snowy days OF
winter, but still February is obliged
to be cold and snowy. 1t has to be
this by the laws Of nature, but that
makes no difference with the great
mass of people. They think only of
their own comfort. Poets seem to
avoid February, FOR poetry about
this month is scarce. Possibly in
this respect the month is Fortunate
There seems to be dispute as to just
where February got it's name, ,iorsom
maintain that it's nameis derived from
the Latin februare, which means to
purify, as the old Romans had GUS
tom OF general publications in thela
ter part of this month. Other authors
say that the month receives it's name
from the goddess Februa, who is sup
posed to be Identical with Juno. But
the more commonly accepted idea OF
the month is that it's name came from
the Roman divinity Februus, who was
identified with Pluto OF the lowervorld.
The month was placed in.the year at
the same time as was January by the
Emperor Numa, ,about 712 B. c.,
But although February is the short
est month of the year, and is one which
has few friends, not a few events OF
Importance are recorded as taking
place during the month. This is the
time when Cupid in the form OF St.
Valentine is supposed to be putting in
his work, and although the custom OF
sending missives of love on the 14th
has somewhat declined, still Cupid is
quite an important parsonage in this
month, and will not be ignored.
But the event for which February is
most famous in the eyes and
hearts of Americans is that on the
22d of the month was born the only
American who never told lie. At
least, George Washington is the only
man in this country who is recorded
as never telling lie. And now the
small boy stays at home from school
on the 22d OF the month, and cele-
brates the birthday Of the father OF
this country by getting thoroughly
tired out. But celebrating Washing
tons birthday does no one any great
harm, but, on the contrary, results in
much good.
There have been good many men
bosn in February who have afterward
become great. The marquis of Sails
bury was first taken in his nurses
arms on the Sd OF February, 1880,
and on the same day of the year 1929
Mendelssohn first gave evidence of his
musical soul which afterward deveI.
oped into such grandeur. On the 7th
Of the month in 1912, Charles Dickens
was born, surely an event of which
any month may be we'll proud AS
the first and greatest president,
Washington: was born in tf 5 month,
SO it has the honor of proc icing him
who by common consent is entitled to
the fame OF being the second greatest
president the country has e 'er had
Abraham Lincoln was bora on the
18th Of the month. Again one of the
greatest phllanthropists this country
has ever produced. George Pea
body, first opened his ey,ss to the
world on the 18th OF this month
in the year 1897. Although Feb
ruary is not a month over which
poets are enthusiastic, it WAS on the
9th of this month that the most
! famous OF AMERICAS poets, Henry w.
Lonefellow, first sang his little songs,
although it is not recorded whether
they were in rhyme or not.
Having SO many distinguished men
born in it's day, the next thought is to
see who died while the days we're call.
ed February. And the list oi persons
who have gone to their final rest in
February is a most distinguished one,
and Includes Thomas Carlyle, Mary,
queen Of Scots, and Martin Luther.
But February OF last year saw many
notable men OF this country expire,
! for in this month died John D. Phil
| brick, Gen. Winfield S. Hancock, ex-
wv. wy AAOuI, oOuA d. OOuEu ana
Prof. John Pattock.
February is apt to be very gay
month socially in this section of coun-
try, and this will be more than ever
the case this year, for Ash Wednesday
the beginning OF Lent, occurs this year
Qn the 23d, and people will have to
crowd tffeir pleasures between the LIST
and the 23d in order to be considered
socially correct. a
But cold and uncomfortable as is
February it has in it many pleasant
days, and although there is little visi-
bic progress in nature and even the
Old Farmers Almanac can only say
that it is a good month for filling in
swamps, yet it is necessary to the
growth of the coming vegetation, in
the same manner that the period in
the boys age, between six and twelve
years OF age, when he appears to be
an awkward ungain]y piece of the hu-
man furniture. And in the same man
ner this time will give him strength
and beauty in the time which follows.